Comfort or Magic? Go? Stay? Stay? Go?

This simple image and 7 words (Your Comfort Zone – Where The Magic Happens) were so powerful that I was immediately impacted. Since then I have continually shared the photo to illustrate how our daily choices impact individual lives, families and organizations.

Today I was thinking about:

People with dreams that are so big they seem impossible.

People that have recently experienced a life-altering event and are struggling to believe that good things will ever happen again.

Organizations that are seeking to breathe life into a vision that is larger than any one person or department.

People that have lived so long in a comfort zone that can’t yet see how it is killing their imaginations, their dreams, their joy, their health and their relationships…

In each one of those examples people have to first catch the vision that something greater is possible, then find a way to hang on to the vision in spite of being uncomfortable.

Each one of us knows someone that has started the journey from comfort to magic, and then listened to voices of fear and ran back to what they were comfortable with instead of hanging tightly to the vision of what could be.(Sometimes we’ve been that person.)

In the midst of all those thoughts lyrics from Jimmy Durante danced through my mind,

“Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go and still have the feeling that you wanted to stay? …Stay? …Go? …Go? …Stay…?”

Which option will you choose?

Are you trying to break out of your comfort zone? If so these additional articles may help you:

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YOU ARE INVITED: To add your comments and to share your professional, personal and faith-based stories. Diverse opinions, compassion, and inspiration are welcome! (I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.)

This hit me right where I needed to be smacked. Sometimes we’ve started a journey then listened to voices of fear and gone running back to what they know instead of hanging tightly to the hope of what could be. I just left a job of 8 years to start something new. Lots of cons, one pro. The pro is hope of what can be. I need to hang on to that hope.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! …You referenced something that is becoming a growing passion for me ~ the need for individuals to understand their emotions during job transitions.

Check out this link. It will take you to a marvelous tool created by Ann Salerno and Lillie Brock. I have witnessed self-proclaimed grown tough-guys get excited about how this tool helps them understand their own emotions during lateral moves, promotions and relocations and seen recent college graduates find just as much power in it. Let me know if it helps to encourage you! http://www.changecycle.com/changecycle.htm

Chery-
Thank you for this post which clearly deals with push-pull tension when we are “at sea” (often by our own choice, but mostly when we have lost our “position” in the world. It is a place where when friends are consulted often they stoke the fires of fear, often unwittingly, and we are left feeling abandoned with our dreams. I chose such a place when I left the comfort zone of a University professorship and went “on the road” (on a motorcycle at that) to be an entrepreneur musician. I knew what it would take and so I made a simple request “God, increase my faith.” – The road has been uphill all the way, and I am glad and grateful 40 years later that I took that turn.
Thank you for providing us with this space to share an clarify our own thoughts.
Wayne

Wayne, Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your story. I never get tired of hearing how others have pushed through their comfort zones in the pursuit of their dreams! (…So were you driving a Harley on your adventure?)

The older I get the more I realize that no matter how often I make the choice to push through my own comfort zones I will always face another opportunity to do it again. Each time I make that choice I go through a period of time where I feel week, small and afraid. If I can stay focused on the goal, my faith grows significantly and I emerge a little wiser, a little stronger, a little softer, and with a lot more understanding about others and the natural process we all go through during change! …And then another opportunity arises and I get to make the choice again!

Chery Gegelman, Speaker & Facilitator

If there is one person who knows how to work a crowd, it’s Chery!
I have had the honor of working with Chery on two leadership events that consisted of panel discussions and Chery served as the wonderful facilitator. Not only was she professional, well-spoken and poised, but her connection with the audience members was outstanding!
I received many compliments from guests after the event about how much they enjoyed her!

Chery went above and beyond for us and our students. Her presentation captivated our students and teachers. (While sharing personal experiences and current information about life in Saudi Arabia, she emphasized critical life skills. Which motivated them to consider the limits of their comfort zones, think critically, solve problems and recognize the humanity of others.) Chery is a pleasure to work with and a great facilitator. I give her my highest endorsement.

Chery is a big picture, strategic thinker who understands the importance of relationships in making things happen. Her work with our Workforce Investment Board has demonstrated that once she has a vision, she can identify what needs to be done and motivate others to work as a team. Chery is a natural and skilled leader whom others are happy to follow.

Giana Consulting successfully completed a complex study on the establishment of a new training facility for the community college system in our state. It was done on time and on budget and exceeded our expectations. She is a true professional and was a pleasure to work with.

My class found your information insightful and especially helpful in processing their experience. They all mentioned that their future planning will include your wisdom and they stated that their newfound awareness of the natural processes you outlined will help them retain their positions, maximize their outcomes, and offer support to those in their circle of care.

Conference question and answer sessions thrive or die based on the facilitators ability to be professional, prepared and perky! Chery Gegelman does an excellent job of using all three qualities to put the audience at ease, engage them in meaningful dialogue while keeping the conversation on topic!

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About Chery Gegelman

Hi! I’m Chery,
I deeply believe that:
• Anyone can be a leader.
• Everyone knows something that the rest of us don’t.
• We all need to leave our workplaces, communities, nation and world – better than we found them.
Those beliefs caused me to:
1. Build bridges of communication and understanding between people in different positions, organizations, races, religions, and cultures.
2. Instigate change from every position I’ve ever had and continually provided opportunities to lead system-wide change from the middle and the edge of organizations.
Today I am The Founder of Giana Consulting, listed as a Great Leadership Speaker by Inc., write a recognized leadership blog and have co-authored two leadership books.

Speaking

In her keynotes and workshops, Chery Gegelman takes WILDLY DIVERSE AUDIENCES on Adventures that are filled with curiosity, learning and growth.
Her approach makes it possible for people to face hard issues and work through them in productive ways.
Your audience will know they matter. (And so do the people next to them!)
They’ll be reminded how important their knowledge, experience and perspectives are – and have new reasons to seek out the knowledge, experience and perspectives of others.
And they’ll leave with increased energy, new strategies and the desire to make a greater difference.